There was a muted hiss as the cork was pulled out of the bottle. The poured a mostly clear golden-amber with a 1 ½ off white head which left almost no lacing on my glass.

The nose had hints of yeast, pepper, apples, sweet malts and earthy tones.

The taste started off a bit earthy, spicy and peppery. Midway thought I picked up some light apple and citrus notes as well as some sweetness. The finish was clean and dry with no evidence of the 9% abv.

The body was medium and slightly tacky as the carbonation level was lower than anticipate.

Overall the drinkability was good and paired well with my dinner.

On the Label: A deep golden beer born of a single malt. Balance derived from whole-flower hops. Created from water drawn deep beneath the feet of the world’s oldest mountains. Flavor driven by a faithful dedication to excess. All brought to life by yeast from a holy place. Great beer is a riddle that does not need to be solved!

Mandolin Artisanal Ale

24° Plato, 50 IBUs, and 10% ABV

(Note different Plato, IBU & %ABV listed on bottle)

A pale beer born of a single malt. Balance derived from whole-flower hops. Created from water drawn deep beneath the feet of the world’s oldest mountains. Flavor driven by a faithful dedication to excess. All brought to life by yeast from a holy place. Great beer is a riddle that does not need to be solved!